Denny Hamlin on Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s "unfair" methods with John Hunter Nemechek during Busch Light Clash

Cup veteran Denny Hamlin shared his thoughts on Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s spat with John Hunter Nemechek during the NASCAR Busch Light Clash last weekend.

NASCAR returned to action the past weekend as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum played host to an exhibition race, Busch Light Clash. The non-points race, eventually won by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin, was full of its fair share of controversial incidents involving numerous drivers.

One such incident involved JTG Daugherty Racing driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Cup Series returnee John Hunter Nemechek of Legacy Motor Club.

Stenhouse Jr. approached John Hunter Nemechek's car during the mid-race break and reportedly engaged in a physical confrontation while Nemechek was still strapped into his vehicle.

Expressing his disapproval of Stenhouse Jr.'s actions, Denny Hamlin condemned using what he deemed "unfair" methods in settling disputes on the track. In a recent episode of the Actions Detrimental podcast, the 43-year-old said:

"I don’t know if there’s an unwritten rule, but certainly, it’s not fair. You’re not really a tough guy if you go up to someone and punch him while they are strapped in to the car. I’ve been in scuffles before where one of the parties was held down. You can’t throw a punch at someone when someone else is holding them. Like that’s just not fair. (35:40)

Denny Hamlin compares Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s actions with Joey Logano's

Comparing Stenhouse Jr.'s actions to his past altercations, particularly with Joey Logano, Hamlin emphasized the importance of maintaining integrity and facing adversaries directly.

"Some people say there are no rules when it’s fighting. But if you can’t go 1v1 and you got to have a buddy helping, that’s where I drew an issue where me and Logano deal at Martinsville. One of his crew guys came from behind me, and the old wrap around my neck pulled me backward and threw me to the ground. That’s not a real fight. You should always be face-to-face."

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished the race in 16th position. The 36-year-old will now set his sights on the upcoming Daytona 500 race as he looks to defend his Harley J. Earl trophy.

Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin would aim to kickstart his 2024 Cup Series campaign heading into the season-opener. Now in his 18th season in the top flight, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver would once again move forward with the conquest of clinching his first Cup title.